The Victorian Liberals’ campaign bus was supposed to be a reset. Instead it became the symbol of a rough week

The Victorian Liberals’ new campaign bus was intended to give leader Jess Wilson a fresh start with journalists, after a week of difficult questions over policy costs, a major rail project and election debates. Its first outing ended when it reversed into a shop awning, turning the “Jess Express” into a symbol of a rocky week, though the article argues the party’s electoral momentum may prove more durable.

Wilson had cut short a press conference on a $100m medical research pledge, answering one question from each of nine journalists, as Labor challenged the Coalition’s policy costing. Labor says the opposition’s promises would cost $6.35bn more than disclosed; the Coalition has pledged $8bn in measures while targeting a surplus by 2032 and promising tax cuts without frontline service cuts. Debate plans remain disputed, with Wilson seeking a one-on-one debate with Labor leader Ben Carroll while Labor says a proposed broadcast would also include One Nation leader Warren Pickering in a separate segment.